Shin and foot guard



P 3, 1955 L. MCMAHAN 2,717,387

SHIN AND FOOT GUARD Filed Dec. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. LYLE L-NSM BYQ Z l n.

a 7" TOEA/EL r United States Patent SHIN AND FOOT GUARD Lyle L. McMallan, Butler, Pa.

Application December 4, 1953, Serial No. 396,148

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-22) My invention relates to shin and foot guards suitable primarily for use by workmen where their shins and feet need protection against injuries, as in the cases of steel mill work and other places where protection is needed against moving bars and sheets, sharp-edged toolsand the like, and also for the protection of welders.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the character referred to that is fully effective for these purposes, although made in a simplified and improved manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shin guard that is effectively held at the proper height, against slipping downwardly on the leg.

A further object of my invention is to provide on the guard an improved arrangement or attachment for protecting the feet of welders against particles of hot metal.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the structure embodying my-invention, and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

The device comprises front and back sheets 4 and 5 of leather such as cowhide between which are interposed a sheet 6 of thin guage stainless steel and a cushioning sheet 7 of felt or rubber. The leather faeings 4 and 5 are of somewhat greater length and width than the sheets 6 and 7, and when these facings are stitched together, they will neatly retain the puncture-proof sheet 6 and the cushioning sheet 7 in position.

A keeper or loop 8 is stitched to the sheet 4 for a strap 9 that is stitched at 10 to the member 4, on a bias, the keeper 8 being also in a biased position. This arrangement permits the rear part of the strap to extend across the leg just above the calf, and by reason of the sloping and diagonal arrangement thereof, the shin guard proper is held against sagging or slipping down. The facing sheets 4 and 5 may suitably be made of cowhide leather, and the leather strap may have a soft facing 11 at its rear part of buckskin or the like.

A keeper or belt loop 12 is sewed to the facing sheet 4 for a strap 13 having a soft rear facing 14 and stitched at 15 to the sheet 4.

A flap 16 preferably of chrome leather, for greater resistance from sparks from a welding implement, is stitched at its upper edge between the sheets 4 and 5 and overlies the upper portion of the workmans instep.

A chrome leather flap 17 is provided as additional protection to the Workmans instep and it also extends forwardly over his shoe. Buckles 18 are connected to the flap 17 by stitched tabs 19 and are releasably connected to grommets or eyelets 20 in the flap 16. The flap 17 can be removed when not needed. It would be unnecessarily cumbersome except when welding or working in the vicin- -ity of hot metal. A spring clip 21 having teeth in its ends is provided for holding the flap 17 in place upon the workmans shoe, at the toe of the shoe, the teeth serving to resist accidental displacement and yet allowing the clip to automatically become disengaged if it should catch on an obstruction when the workman is moving around.

The arrangement of parts is such that all of them, except at the snap hooks, can be sewed and thereby firmly held together, without using any rivets.

I claim as my invention:

A leg protector comprising a shin guard having sheets of leather and metal connected in unitary relation and of a length to protect the wearers leg from knee to the upper portion of the instep, a strap connected to the upper part of the shin guard, along upwardly and backwardly sloping lines and in position to rest upon the upper part of the leg calf, a smooth flexible instep-shielding flap connected to the lower end of the shin guard, a foot-shielding flap connected forwardly of its rear edge to the lower edge of the instep flap, and a spring clipmember on the forward end of the foot-shielding flap, for releasably holding it in place on a shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,428,731 Whitley Sept. 12, 1922 1,624,129 Barrett Apr. 12, 1927 2,532,955 Shook Dec. 5, 1950 

